RANTAU PANJANG: The General Operations Force (GOF) yesterday detained a woman at an illegal jetty in Jeram Perdah for trying to smuggle RM102,000 worth of ornamental plants from Thailand into Malaysia.
The 46-year-old woman was in her vehicle when the GOF team caught her in the act about 7.30pm.
GOF Ninth Battalion commanding officer Superintendent Nor Azizan Yusof said the GOF team was conducting a routine patrol when they spotted several men unloading goods from a boat into the vehicle.
Upon seeing the GOF approaching the area, the men, suspected to be smugglers, escaped to the Thai side of the border using the same boat, leaving the woman with the contraband.
"Checks by the GOF personnel showed that the blue plastic bags left behind contained ornamental plants, believed to have been smuggled in from the neighbouring country.
The woman, who was in the vehicle, was later detained," he said in a statement.
Nor Azizan said initial investigations showed that the plants were for distribution in the local market.
The vehicle, valued at about RM40,000, was also seized.
He said the case has been handed over to the state Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Service Department (Maqis) for further action.
Importing ornamental plants without a valid permit from Maqis is an offence under Section 11 (1) of the Quarantine and Inspection Services Act 2011 (Act 728) which can be punished under Section 11 (3) of the same Act.
If convicted, one could be fined not more than RM100,000 or jailed a maximum six years, or both.